Steering control with pneumatic pickup



Feb. 21, 1950 LEONARD 2,498,284

STEERING CONTROL WITH PNEUMATIC PICKUP Filed April 22, 1946 27 2a\ EL. 1&

l"; CD 1? WITNESSES: INVENTOR Me/flflfleo/mrd ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 21,1950 STEERING CONTROL WITH PNEUMATIC PICKUP :Merrill G. Leonard, Sharon,Pa., assignor to Westinghouse. Electric Corporation, EastPittsburgh,Pa., a corporation, of Pennsylvania -Application April'- 22, 1946,-SerialNo. 663,805

A Claims. (01.114-25) 'My invention relates to z pneumaticallycontrolled: devices; and. more particularly to apparatus for.controlling. thepath of operation of a: torpedo :bythe use of; pneumaticequipment.

With "the .lelectrically propel-led torpedo so generally :used :of late.electromagnetic devices are used :toucontrolthe-depth asvwell as thedirection of operation of the torpedo; but some of .the;recentlyldevcloped torpedoes do not in- 011.16.812.11}? electric;equipment and with some-electrically propelledztorpedoes.itz-is notfeasibleor desirable to? electrically: control: the depth or thesteeringr' orqthe" torpedo.

One abroad: obiectyoi.my-;-invention, is the provision: or torpedot-rudder moon-trolling devices of the non-electricalytype.

, Another "broad object of :v my invention is the provision ofpneumatically controlled, rudder actuating ;;devices :ior ma conveyance:moving through a fluid: medium.

A more specificzobject=;of,:my invention isthe provision For! pneumaticdevices for controllin the angular: movement: of 1 the. elevator ruddersof a conveyance moving throughla fiuidimedium'.

'A. still" more-specific object of my. invention :is the provisionrofa.pistonzdisposed int a cylinder for actuating the elevator: rudders .of.-;a torpedo by means of pneumatic -selements,: coupled to: the depthresponsive tdevices .ofaa torpedo, for controlling the operation .ofathe episton.

The objects;;hereinbeiore stated care merely illustrative of :manyotherobjects and: advantages that will become; -m0re;a app rent from a stu yof the followingspecification-and the-accompanying drawing-zinr whichzFigure. I is; a, schematic. showing of my invention 'asdisposed rinuthetailcone of 'a' torpedo;

. Fig. 2..is. a longitudinal sectional. view of the piston and,cylinder'elements. and-the jet pipe for controlling the positionofthepiston in the cylinder; and

Fig.3 isa sectional riewrof-adetail of the elements for actuatingtthejet pipe from the depth" responsivesdevices.

In=Eigure.1, the tailcone I of a torpedoeis shown-.somewhat. schematic..On. the: bulkhead 2, or any other suitable element .fixed. to thetorpedo, I mount the pump cylinder 3; A :pis.ton 411s disposedintheicylinder and this piston by means of a. connecting rod;,5 and Jan.eccentric,

orcam :6, coupledltothe.outer-shaft 1 ofthe piston rod..29. by agarterspring 53.

Dhe fluid pressure in chamber-8 isnused .to actuate both the steeringrudders and the *elevator rudders. To this end, onev conduit, 9:transmits huidrundenpressure to the gyro G. The arrangement is such-thatthe .gyro controls the flow of fluid. either to the top. or-ibottom of apiston in the cylinder lll--.depending -0ntheposition of the :controlelement in the: housing II coupled to the gyro. .Thewpistonin cylinderIll actuates the rod. [2 either up-or-downdepending on the controleffect produced .by the; gyro.

:The rod. I2 is. coupled to' thebell-crank lever l3 pivoted at M.Movement ofthe hell-crank lever l3'movesthelink l5 longitudinally. ofitself to thus. actuate the steering rudders- I 8 through theyoke l1 andthe crankarmz l6 fixed to the yoke-and operatively coupled to the link[5.

Asecondconduit I9 transmits fluid under .pressure from the chamber 8 tothe jet pipe 26, the transmission being through the connection 2 I theannular groove 22 in the..bearing portion of the frame F; the radialopenings 23 in the shaft portion 24 of the-{let pipe.2ll andtheaxialchannel in thisshaft portions-of. the, jet pipe. A suitablenut25 and spring washer 26 firmly but movably holds the jet, pipe 20 inposition. in the bearing portion of -.theframe. F.

.The frame F is-rigidly secured. to the tailcone and.acylinder 21 isrigidly secured. to the frame. The cylinder is ofthe simplestconstruction containing no valves of any v.kind. -A threaded cap 28closes. the left or forward end of the piston whereas the right or aftend is providedflwith anaxial bearing opening for receiving the pistonrod 29 0f the,-piston.3ll.

.,In the bearing opening in the aft end of cylinder 21, I disposesuitableliquidseals.-5ll,of one or-more units. Each unit includes aretaining .shell 5|,a neopr-eneorrubber ringr52 shaped as-shownand heldin operative relation, tolthe The liquid seal prevents the loss of.pressure in the aft end of .the cylinder .21 and prevents theentry offoreign materials as dust,.dirt, oil, or other fluids from enteringthecylinder.

,The pistonis provided with a channeIL3-I opening .into the forward.portionof the cylinder and. .a second channelopening into the aft end ofthe cylinder. The channels 3|.and 32 traverse the pistonrod-longitudinally to a point aft of thexaft end of the cylinder wherethey both turnoff radially in...the same plane and emerge onthesideatclose spacingas shown in. Fig.2. "The ,jet

pipe-.20 has its nozzle directly in'iline wjithth'ese openings, thearrangement being. such that the fluid issuing from the nozzle willenter the channels 3! and 32 and thus cause pressures to build up in thecylinder 21.

It will be obvious that if the jet is centered with respect to the tworadial openings of the channels 3| and 32, the pressure in the two endsof the cylinder will be equal, and there will be no motion of thepiston. If, however, the jet is displaced, say to the right, then thepressure will increase in the forward end of the cylinder and will bedecreased in the aft end of the cylinder, thus forcing the piston 30 tothe right until it again centers on the jet. Thus the piston follows thejet accurately.

The reaction force of the jet pipe 20 is transmitted directly to thebearing region so that no torque need be applied to control its positionexcept to overcome the force of friction at the bearing. On the otherhand, the force on the piston is large because the jet velocity-head isconverted into substantially constant pressurehead with good efiiciency,the efliciency being of the order of 70% or better. Thus, anamplification factor from one ounce to two hundred pounds, or 3200 timesis easily obtained.

To prevent the jet pipe from getting out of alignment with the radialopenings at times when the fluid pressure is not on a pair of stops 33and 34 are provided on the piston rod 29. During normal operation, thenozzle end of the jet pipe does not, of course, touch either stop.

These stops 33 and 34 introduce the possibility of damage to the nozzleend of the jet pipe in case of violent movement of the jet pipe. Suchviolent movement of the jet pipe is prevented by the nature of thecoupling between the depth responsive device 35 and the jet pipe. Thenature of the coupling will become apparent presently.

The depth responsive device comprises a pendulum P pivoted at 36. Thependulum is also coupled through the diaphragm 31 and link 38 to beactuated by the hydrostatic pressure of the sea. The swing of thependulum P with reference to the torpedo is thus a function of the anglethe longitudinal axis of the torpedo makes with the horizon or the depthof the torpedo below the sea surface, or both. For the details of thedepth responsive device reference may be had to my Patent No. 2,417,768,issued March 18, 1947, and entitled Control device.

The pendulum P is coupled to the lever 39 in shape of an L upside down.The lower surface 4| of the horizontal leg of this lever 39 is flat andengages with a like top surface on the hub of the jet pipe 20. A studbolt 42 is fixed in the hub as shown passing through a relatively largeopening in the horizontal leg of the lever 39. The upper end of the studbolt 42 is threaded to receive a nut 43 and washer 44. A compressionspring 45 under adjustable compression by the nut 43 is disposed betweenthe washer 44 and the horizontal leg of the lever 39. The springpressure thus assures that the jet pipe 20 moves with the movements ofthe pendulum for all normal movements of the pendulum, but does not movewith the pendulum for the violent pendulum movements such as that whichoccurs when the torpedo is fired from the firing tube.

The piston rod 29 is by means of the link 46 connected to the crank arm47 on the yoke for actuating the elevator rudders 48. From theforegoing, it is apparent that the elevator rudders follow the controleffect produced by the depth responsive device 35 and that the steeringrud- 4 ders follow the control eflect produced by the gyro (3-.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, Ido not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure made but wish to belimited only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for controlling the direction of movement of aconveyance moving through a fluid medium, in combination, means forproducing a control effect as a function of the deviation of themovement of the conveyance from a desired path of movement, a source offluid pressure, a pivotally mounted jet pipe having a nozzle disposed tomove as a function of the control effect, said jet pipe being connectedto said source of fluid pressure, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinderhaving a piston rod projecting from one end of the cylinder, said rodbeing provided with a channel opening into the forward cylinder head andending in a radial opening nearer the aft end of the rod and with asecond channel opening into the aft cylinder head and ending in a radialopening directly adjacent the first radial opening but forward of thefirst radial opening, said radial openings being normally aligned withthe nozzle of the jet pipe whereby the velocity head of the fluidissuing from the nozzle is transformed into equal static pressure-headsin each cylinder head when the openings and nozzle are in true alignmentbut becomes greater in the forward cylinder head and less in the aftcylinder head when the nozzle moves aft and becomes greater in the aftcylinder head and less in the forward cylinder head when the nozzlemoves forward whereby the piston is caused to move with the movements ofthe nozzle, rudders for said conveyance, and means for connecting thepiston rod to the rudders to thus cause rudder movements as a functionof said control effect.

2. In apparatus for controlling the direction of movement of aconveyance moving through a fluid medium, in combination, means forproducing a control effect as a function of the deviation of themovement of the conveyance from a desired path of movement, a source offluid pressure, a pivotally mounted jet pipe having a nozzle disposed tomove as a function of the control effect, said jet pipe being connectedto said source of fluid pressure, a cylinder having a first cylinderhead and a second cylinder head, a piston in said cylinder having apiston rod projecting from the second cylinder head, said rod beingprovided with a pair of channels, one opening into the first cylinderhead and the other in the second cylinder head and said channelsterminating in radial contiguous opening in the rod but in reverse orderto the openings in the cylinder heads, said radial openings beingaligned with the nozzle of the jet pipe whereby the fluid issuing fromthe nozzle will produce pressure effects in the cylinder heads causingsaid piston and thus the rod to follow the movements of the nozzle ofthe jet pipe, rudders for said conveyance and coupling means between therod and the rudders to cause the rudders to move as a function of saidcontrol effect.

3. In the steering control for a torpedo, in combination, steeringrudders for controlling the direction of movement of the torpedo, a pumpoperated by the torpedo propulsion equipment, a pivotally mounted jetpipe coupled to the depth control devices on the torpedo to thus swingas a 76 function of the control effect of the depth convelocity to thesupply region of the pump to thus provide for recirculating use of thegas in the torpedo, a. cylinder, a piston having a rod projectingthrough a gas seal from one cylinder head, said piston rod beingprovided with a pair of channels opening respectively in the twocylinder heads and in closely spaced relation adjacent the nozzle end ofthe jet pipe, whereby said piston is caused to follow the swings of thejet pipe, and operative coupling means between the piston rod and therudders to thus actuate the torpedo rudders as a function of the pistonmovement. a

4. In the steering control for a torpedo, in combination, steeringrudders for controlling the direction of movement of the torpedo, a pumpoperated by the torpedo propulsion equipment, a gas pressure storagetank, a pivotally mounted jet pipe coupled to. the depth control deviceson the torpedo to thus swing as a function of the control effect of thedepth control devices, said jet pipe being coupled to be supplied withgas under pressure from the pump and producing a jet of gas underrelatively high velocity to the supply region of the pump to thusprovide for recirculating use of the gas in the torpedo, a cylinder, apiston having a rod projecting through a gas seal from one cylinderhead, said piston rod being provided with a pair of channels openingrespectively in the two cylinder heads and in closely spaced relationadjacent the nozzle end of the jet pipe, whereby said piston is causedto follow the swings of the jet pipe, and operative coupling meansbetween the piston rod and the rudders to thus actuate the torpedorudders as a function of the piston movements.

MERRILL G. LEONARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,261,851 Radiguer Apr. 9, 19181,851,816 Dieter Mar. 29, 1932 2,047,922 Seligmann July 14, 19362,104,627 Von Manteuflel Jan. 4, 1938

